maṣdarسُؤَالٌmuḍāriʿيَسْأَلُ يَسَالُ يَخَافُ
Core sense — he asked him about something, he questioned him; he begged of himgenerated
1.1he asked him such a thing; he questioned him about it—سَأَلَهُ عَنْ كَذَا
Also with كَذَا following it, and بِكَذَا; maṣdar سُؤَالٌ and مَسْأَلَةٌ (this last also pronounced مَسَلَةٌ without the hemzeh), and تَسْآلٌ and سَآلَةٌ and سَأَلَةٌ, or سَأْلَةٌ.
Copies of the K differ over the last two of these, the TA giving the former. [And it appears from a statement that will be found below, under سُؤْلٌ, that one of these is correct; but in an excellent copy of the M I find in its place سَآءَلَهُ as a verb, doubly transitive — first by itself, and secondly by means of عَنْ, as shown by an example in a verse cited below (see form 3); and this also is correct.]
All of these [sometimes] have the same meaning; but عن كذا is more common than بكذا.
Er-Rāghib: when سَأَلَ means the asking, or demanding, of property, it is transitive [only] by itself or by means of مِنْ, [so that one says سَأَلَهُ كَذَا and سَأَلَ مِنْهُ كَذَا, meaning he asked, or demanded, of him such a thing].
he asked him—سَالَ
like خَافَ; this is of the dialect of Hudheyl. Its middle letter was originally و, as is shown by the phrase mentioned by AZ, هُمَا يَتَسَاوَلَانِ. [Respecting this dialectal variant, see what follows.]
The imperative of سَأَلَ is اِسْأَلْ, and that of سَالَ is سَلْ, dual سَلَا and plural سَلُوا, [these two being] irregular.
AAF mentions that Aboo-'Othmán heard someone say اِسَلْ, [a form left out of some copies of the K but given in the CK,] meaning اِسْأَلْ, dropping the ء and moving its vowel to the letter before it, just as some of the Arabs said لَحْمَرُ for الأَحْمَرُ [as many do today].
According to ISd, the Arabs always drop the ء in the imperative, except when فَ or وَ is prefixed to it, saying فَٱسْأَلْ and وَٱسْأَلْ; or when وَ [or فَ] is prefixed, when it is allowable either to pronounce the ء or to drop it, as in وَٱسْأَلُوا and وَسَلُوا.
For the passive سُئِلَ one may say سِيلَ and سُيِلَ, here making the kesreh partake of the sound of dammeh, and سُولَ, and also سُيِلَ, in which the middle letter is pronounced with a sound between that of ء and that of ى, or resembling that of و.
Er-Rāghib says that سُؤَالٌ means the asking, or demanding, of knowledge or information, or of what leads to it; and the asking, or demanding, of property, or of what leads to it.
I asked him for information about the thing—سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الشَّىْءِ
I asked him to give me the thing—سَأَلْتُهُ الشَّىْءَ
he asked, or begged, of him property—سَأَلَهُ مَالًا
[This is sometimes used in the same sense as the phrase before it, as shown above, but generally has this meaning.]
Likewise سَأَلَ مِنْهُ and سَأَلَ إِلَيْهِ [followed by مَالًا].
I begged of God health, freedom from disease, and the like—سَأَلْتُ ٱللّٰهَ العَافِيَةَ
maṣdar سُؤَالٌ and مَسْأَلَةٌ.
an asker asked about a falling punishment—سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ
In the Qurʾān 70:1, explained as عَنْ عَذَابٍ.
One says خَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ عَنْ فُلَانٍ and بِفُلَانٍ, meaning we went out asking about such a one.
Or the phrase in the Qurʾān means: a caller called [for a falling punishment]. Some read سَالَ سَائِلٌ بعذاب واقع [likewise], from السُّؤَالُ; or this means سَالَ وَادٍ بعذاب واقع, [that is, a valley flowed with a falling punishment,] from السَّيَلَانُ, as some say.
he forbade much questioning—نَهَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ السَّؤَالِ
This is in a tradition, said of Mohammad. It is said to refer to subtle questions that are needless, like another tradition mentioned below under مَسْأَلَةٌ; or to begging people's property without need.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 1 shown of 96
81:8
وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْWhen the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned -
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
(S, M, K) with كَذَا following it, and سَأَلَهُ عَنْ كَذَا and بِكَذَا , (S, * K,) aor. يَسْأَلُ , (M,) inf. n. سُؤَالٌ and مَسْأَلَةٌ , (S, M, K,) which latter is also pronounced مَسَلَةٌ , without the hemzeh, (TA,) and تَسْآلٌ and سَآلَةٌ , (M, K,) and سَأَلَةٌ or سَأْلَةٌ , (accord. to different copies of the K, the former of these two accord. to the TA, [and it appears from a statement that will be found below, voce سُؤْلٌ , that one of these is correct, but in an excel-lent copy of the M, in the place thereof, I find, and سَآءَلَهُ , as a verb, doubly trans., first thus by itself, and secondly by means of عَنْ , as shown by an ex. in a verse cited below, (see 3,) and this also is correct,]) all [sometimes] signify the same, (S, * K,) i. e. He asked him such a thing; or asked him, interrogated him, questioned him, or inquired of him, respecting such a thing: but عن كذا is more common than بكذا : when سَأَلَ means the asking, or demanding, of property, it is trans. [only] by itself or by means of مِنْ [so that you say سَأَلَهُ كَذَا and سَأَلَ مِنْهُ كَذَا meaning he asked, or demanded, of him such a thing]: (Er-Rághib, TA:) and one says also سَالَ , aor. يَسَالُ , (Akh, S, M, Msb, K,) like خَافَ , aor. يَخَافُ ; (Msb, K;) which is of the dial. of Hudheyl; the medial letter of this being originally و , as is shown by the phrase, mentioned by AZ, هُمَا يَتَسَاوَلَانِ : (TA:) [respecting this dial. var., see what follows:] the imperative (S, Msb, K, TA;) of سَأَلَ (S, Msb, TA) is اِسْأَلْ ; (S, M, Msb, K, TA;) and (S, K, &c.) that of سَالَ , (S, Msb, TA,) سَلْ , (S, Msb, K, TA,) dual. سَلَا , and pl. سَلُوا , [these two being] irregular; (Msb;) and AAF mentions that Aboo-'Othmán heard one say اِسَلْ , [a form omitted in some copies of the K, but mentioned in the CK,] meaning اِسْأَلْ , suppressing the ء , and transferring its vowel to the preceding letter, like as some of the Arabs said لَحْمَرُ for الأَحْمَرُ [as many do in the present day]: (M:) accord. to ISd, (TA,) the Arabs universally suppress the ء in the imperative except when they prefix to it فَ or وَ ; (M, TA;) saying فَٱسْأَلْ and وَٱسْأَلْ : (TA:) or when وَ [or فَ ] is prefixed, it is allowable to pronounce the ء and also to suppress it, as in saying وَٱسْأَلُوا and وَسَلُوا : (Msb:) and for the pass. سُئِلَ , one may say سِيلَ , and سُيِلَ , in this instance making the kesreh to partake of the sound of dammeh, and سُولَ ; and also سُيِلَ , in which the middle letter is pronounced with a sound between that of ء and that of ى , or resembling that of و . (IJ, TA.) As Er-Rághib says, سُؤَالٌ signifies The asking, or demanding, knowledge, or information, or what leads thereto: and the asking, or demanding, property, or what leads thereto. (TA.) سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الشَّىْءِ means I asked of him information respecting the thing: (IB, TA: [and the like is said in the Msb:]) and سَأَلْتُهُ الشَّىْءَ [is sometimes used in the same sense, as has been shown above, but generally] means I asked him to give me the thing: (IB, TA:) you say, سَأَلَهُ مَالًا He asked, demanded, or begged, of him property, and in like manner, سَأَلَ مِنْهُ and سَأَلَ إِلَيْهِ [followed by مَالًا ]: (MA:) and سَأَلْتُ ٱللّٰهَ العَافِيَةَ , inf. n. سُؤَالٌ and مَسْأَلَةٌ , I begged, or sought, of God health, or freedom from disease, &c. (Msb.) The saying in the Kur [lxx. 1], سَأَلَ سَائِلٌ بِعَذَابٍ وَاقِعٍ means عَنْ عَذَابٍ [i. e. An asker asked respecting a falling punishment]: (S:) [for] one says, خَرَجْنَا نَسْأَلُ عَنْ فُلَانٍ and بِفُلَانٍ [meaning We went forth asking respecting such a one]: (Akh, S:) or the phrase in the Kur means a caller called [for a falling punishment]: (TA:) and some read سَالَ سَائِلٌ بعذاب واقع , (Bd, TA,) [likewise] from السُّؤَالُ : (Bd:) or this means سَالَ وَادٍ بعذاب واقع [i. e. a valley flowed with a falling punishment]; (Bd, TA;) so some say; (TA;) from السَّيَلَانُ . (Bd.) The saying, in a trad., نَهَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ السَّؤَالِ [He (Mohammad) forbade much questioning or inquiring] is said to relate to subtile questions or inquiries, that are needless; like another trad., mentioned below, voce, مَسْأَلَةٌ : or to the begging, of men, their property needlessly. (TA.)